A Florida teenager is facing aggravated manslaughter and drug possession charges after allegedly giving her 10-month-old son formula laced with fentanyl, resulting in the infant's death. Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper revealed the tragic details during a press conference, stating the young mother admitted to mixing the powerful opioid into her baby's bottle so she could get some sleep.
First responders discovered the unconscious infant without a pulse on June 26th. Despite resuscitation attempts, the baby could not be revived. Sheriff Leeper described the mother's initial accounts as a series of lies, eventually culminating in a confession.
The sheriff emphasized the tragic irony of the situation, highlighting that while new mothers often experience fatigue, resorting to fentanyl to induce sleep in an infant is both abnormal and deeply disturbing. The mother reportedly believed the orange pill bottle contained cocaine, not fentanyl, a drug potent enough to kill multiple adults.
The infant's death has been officially attributed to fentanyl poisoning by the medical examiner. A Mickey Mouse bottle found at the scene and subsequently tested served as a piece of key evidence in the investigation.
During the booking process, the teen mother informed officers of a possible second pregnancy. The sheriff expressed profound sadness and concern, emphasizing the vulnerability of infants and their complete dependence on caregivers. The mother's name has been withheld due to her age.
